The Forgotten Companion
by Badwolf999
Summary: When the Doctor left Rose he didn't just take a break before he met Martha, he met someone else first. Some, new and forgotten.


I walked through the glass double doors, nothing was more disturbing than watching he door man watch me. The ballroom was enormous, the ceiling was at least twenty feet high and dome shaped. This was all I could seek of the room as for, it was dark, darker than any normal ball room. Most everyone had come with a partner, the couples I recognized were either married or dating. I had come along, this was normal for me; I never was able to understand the actuality of a decent relationship with a man. I sighed and moved across the floor lightly. I was thankful for my midnight blue dress that flowed from my boobs down to my ankles. The room was cold, probably colder than normal to maintain a comfortable temperature for the dancers in the middle of the floor. My silky dress was cold against my bare legs. Why was I even here? What was my point in even coming here? I hated this place, plain and simple, this ballroom was dreadful. I tried to peer through the darkness and look at the other lonely figures that stood against the wall, just like me. There was a girl off in the far right corner of the room, but she was holding a drink, probably just waiting to cool down before going back into the haze. The only other wallflower was a tall dark man. He wasn't African American; no he was just back lighted. His hair stood up and had been gelled. Other than that I couldn't tell anything about this man except that he started to come over to me. He stood next to me with his hands in front of him, I was suddenly very aware of his appearance. He looked about ten years older than me, maybe more; his face was wrinkled at the eyes and at his mouth. He must smile a lot, I thought.

"Hello." His voice was cheery, it startled me and I shook out of my trance, I blushed. Had he caught me staring? Why was he just standing next to me?

"Hi." I said lightly, I looked down. He was wearing converse. Converse? I questioned this, why would a man in black suit come to a ball in converse?

"I hate just standing here, care for a dance?" He turned to me and offered his hand, I scarcely stammered, but then another voice came to me. "_Shut up and dance stupid." _Obviously my voices were here to help me instead of harm me this time.

"Gladly." I smiled at him and took his hand. He swung me up into the classic ball room dance.

Thank God for the idea to learn how to dance, I thought. I followed his pace and I noticed he was holding onto me tighter than normal. A stranger wouldn't hold me this close, did he know me? Should I be afraid of him? "_Oh, for Pete's sake, shut the hell up and just enjoy this moment."_ The voices were back and in action. It was as though they were trying to take care of me this time. I laughed lightly and looked up at him; his eyes were soft, brown and old, older than he looked at least. This confused me a little bit. We kept doing the same steps when he pushed me out for a twirl. He twirled me numerous times until he pulled me back, I subtly stumbled and the he caught me and bent me backwards. Okay, surprising, but fun. He held my hips and I dropped my hands, the dizziness had faded finally. I started to step away lightly. Should I go? Was this the end of our little dance? What should I do? I turned and dipped my head, he caught me elbow.

"I can't let you leave." He said, at first I panicked as the fear set in. Was he here to hurt me? I didn't listen to his tone, one of the first things I do. He smiled and then hid it as though he couldn't help himself.

"What, why?" I asked, I almost stuttered. I heard a sneer of giggles in the back of my mind as the voices found it funny that I was starting to believe this man was here to hurt me.

"Well, you'd be standing at the wall again and I don't want to just watch you." He was beating around the bush. He held out his hand and I realized what he was doing finally. God, I am so stupid. He just wanted to dance with me.

"Okay, as long as I'm not troubling you." He shook his head.

"No not at all. I would rather dance with a pretty girl like you than stare at a wall, waiting for something to happen."

Did he just call me pretty? Was he blushing? Did he like me? The voices came back and I touched my head in pain. _"Are you serious? You think __he __likes __you__? You're kidding yourself, you know better. Rule one; Trust no one and only give them half of what you got." _They were right and I knew it. I shouldn't be doing this at all. Screw you, I said to the voices. I held his hand in ballroom stance and I noticed his hand on the small of my back. It was a little lower, a little below my panty line. I tried to debate whether this was okay, but he swept me up in a series of twists and turns.

"What's your name?" I asked, first I had to know who this man was before I did anything stupid.

"John, John Smith. What is yours?" He was lying, his eyes darted to the left and his hand squirmed in mine.

"Astrid Wood is the name. I know you're lying, who are you?" I slowed lightly and he resumed the speed almost immediately.

"The Doctor." This time I knew he was lying again, but it was something different. Something, old, I decided this man was much older than I actually knew.

"How old are you?" He glanced at me, his eyes fierce. Had I angered him? I listened for his response.

"Thirty two, but that isn't the point. People are staring; I think they're finally starting to realize I'm not part of this crowd. If I was clever, which normally I am, I would have bought a ticket before, but I don't have a penny on me." He looked up, put his hands in his pockets then tilted his head back down with a smile and a left eye wink. "Do you want to leave?" He asked, he handed me his hand. My mind raced excitedly.

"_Common, Astrid! How stupid are you?! Have you ever actually seen a movie, or read a book where going with a complete stranger that was way older than you actually helped you? For God's sake man! Look at Braveheart or The Art of Getting By; both of the main characters were heartbroken when they met up with a goddamn stranger. Shake your head! Now!" _I laughed violently at my voices and then shook them away. I took John's hand and he led me out the door, by now I knew everyone was staring, I could feel their eyes locked at the back of my head.


End file.
